Sky Fall
by afaithfulwriter890
Summary: SkyClan is falling a part. Vinestar, the new leader has caused the Clan to be on the brink of a civil war. After exiling the daylight warriors, Vinestar demands the absolute loyalty of all his Clan-mates. Lightpaw, a young SkyClan apprentice is caught in the middle. Her parents and brother support the tyrannical leader, but Lightpaw doesn't agree with his ways. Summary inside. OC.
1. Prologue

_Sky Fall - Prologue_

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><p><strong>CONTAINS OCs.<strong>

**Summary**

SkyClan is divided.

Vinestar, the new leader, seems like an emotionless tyrant. He has exiled

all daylight-warriors and has threatened them with death if they dare return. He has also demanded the absolute loyalty of all of his Clan-mates, no matter what their rank. He has many supporters within the Clan that agree with his demands, and his methods of receiving loyalty, but there are those who resent it. 

Lightpaw is caught up in the middle of this divide. She hates the way

Vinestar treats her Clan-mates, but all of her family is loyal to him and encourage her to do the same. When she learns of a group of cats that plans to leave SkyClan to start their own Clan away from his dictatorship, she must make a decision. Does she stay with her family-the thing she always held nearest and dearest to her heart? Or, does she risk her life and their love for her freedom?

**This is going to be around thirty or so chapters, and I intend to make it a human story one day. I appreciate constructive criticism, but dislike bashing. I hope you guys enjoy.**

**Oh, and if you see [i] [/i] in the text, just ignore them. They were needed for formatting on a different site where this story was posted. I look for them when I post these, but I miss a few. Just overlook them. They don't mean anything and I know there are a lot in there.**

**I don't own Warriors.**

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><p><span>Allegiances<span>

SkyClan

Leader:

**Vinestar** – a large, broad-shouldered dark brown tabby tom with bright, emerald-green eyes

Deputy:

**Icemask** – a large, long-furred white tomcat with blue eyes and a scar along his shoulder

Medicine Cat:

**Emberspots** –a dark ginger tom with brighter, fiery red splotches and brown eyes

Warriors:

**Fernwhisker** – a slim, light brown tabby she-cat with white 'socks' and yellow eyes

**Bramblepelt** – a light brown tabby tom-cat with messy fur, white front paws, and yellow eyes

_Apprentice; Runningpaw_

**Nightfur** – a short-furred black tom with a star-shaped mark on his shoulder and icy blue eyes

**Haretail** – a light, dusty-brown tom with amber eyes and one white paw

**Sunblaze** – a bright ginger, almost golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes and lighter underbelly fur

**Reedfoot** – a dark, slim black tom with green eyes

**Brightsky** – a white she cat with gray spots

_ Apprentice; Lightpaw_

**Flamestone** – a dark brown tom with orange eyes

**Ottertail** – a furry brown she-cat with a sandy tail and blue eyes

**Fawntail** – a light brown she-cat with white flecks

_Apprentice; Cavepaw_

**Dryclaw** – a brown tom with amber eyes

**Petalsplash** – a small, lithe, brown she-cat with a white face

**Paleface** – a cream-colored tom with green eyes

_Apprentice; Creekpaw_

**Gravelfoot** – a gray and black tom with orange eyes

**Oatwhisker** – a brown tabby tom with green eyes

_Apprentice; Smokepaw_

**Slatenose** – a light gray tom with gray eyes

**Rockfall** – a white-and-brown tom with green eyes

**Raccoontail** – a dark gray tabby tom with black stripes and amber eyes

**Badgerstep** – a large black and white she-cat with badger-like markings

**Rabbitdash** – a lanky, gray-brown tom with pale green eyes

**Rosethorn** – a beautiful, fluffy cream she-cat with a ginger tint to her pelt and dark amber eyes

Apprentices:

**Lightpaw** – white she-cat with ginger and golden patches as well as bright green eyes

**Smokepaw** – smoky gray tomcat with blue eyes

**Runningpaw** – light brown tabby tom with darker stripes

**Cavepaw**– dark brown tabby tom with blue eyes

**Creekpaw**– cream-and-brown tortoiseshell she-cat

Queens:

**Minteyes** – a black-and-brown tortoiseshell she-cat with mint-green eyes; mother of Flamestone's kits: Cloudkit (flecked gray tom), Rainkit (sold, dark gray tom), and Stormkit (black she-cat with green eyes)

**Sleekfur** – a sleek, white she-cat with blue eyes; mother of Rockfall's kits

**Marbleleaf** – a white she-cat with mottled gray patches; mother of Dryclaw's kits

Elders:

**Willowflight** – a light gray she-cat white splashes blue eyes

**Dashleg** – a fast, thin, white tom

**Plumwillow** – a dark gray she-cat

**Shrubleaf**– a short, stocky gray tom

Cats Outside the Clan

**Moon** – a fluffy, pale, silvery-white she-cat with large, pale yellow eyes

**Sparrow** – a pretty, dark brown tabby she-cat with orange eyes

**Copy** – a ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

**Mousy** – a dark gray-and-white tortoiseshell she-cat

**Tree** – a white tom with brown patches

**Dark** – black tomcat with lighter patches

**October** – large, fluffy white tom with orange eyes

**Melony (Mel)** - white kittypet with dusted gray paws, tail tip, and muzzle with wide, bright blue eyes

**Cascade** - a light gray she cat with deep green eyes. She has one white sock on her left front foot, and her left ear-tip is white. She has a scar on her side from a previous battle, but other than that her fur is usually soft and silky, especially for a rogue's.

**Brutus** - a slim grey and white tom; kittypet with very dark amber eyes and long, sharp claws

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

"From this moment on, you are not allowed to return to this territory," the dark brown tabby tom meowed. He stood on a large pile of rocks, looking out over his camp. Six cats were gathered in front of the pile, their eyes wide with shock, and their pelts rippling in fear. They had no idea what was happening, or what they had done that had been so wrong to warrant this punishment.

Their existence was wrong.

"But Vinestar, please," a ginger tabby she-cat meowed, willing the tom to understand. "We have done nothing wrong! We are loyal to SkyClan. Please understand this."

"Loyal?" the SkyClan leader sneered. "You aren't loyal. If you were loyal, you would give up your posh, easy lives with your Twolegs and pledge your lives to us! You do not deserve warrior names. Now leave this territory before I make my warriors escort you out!"

The six cats hung their heads and climbed the steep path that led out of the gorge in a solemn silence. The Clan cats watched them go, some with wide, stunned eyes, and others with approving nods. "I'm glad they're gone," a small, lithe, brown she-cat commented, giving her paw a quick lick. She lay outside the nursery, watching the spectacle with bored eyes.

"It was bound to happen one day," a black-and-brown tortoiseshell she-cat agreed. "Did those daylight-warriors really think that they could stay here forever? They can't live with a paw in each world."

Another queen nodded. "Indeed."

Nearby, a fluffy cream she-cat gazed at them with horror. "How can you all say that? Those cats were our Clan-mates? Practically our kin!" she hissed, her pelt bristling in disbelief. How could her Clan-mates say such things?

"Don't get your fur in a bunch, Rosepaw," the brown queen mewed lazily. "It'll be harder for you younger cats because you grew up with them here. It was foolish to have them here in the first place! What if we were attacked in the middle of the night? Then what? How would they defend us? They couldn't!"

"Stop it, Petalsplash," a ginger tom hissed at her, baring his fangs. "They were our friends! Vinestar shouldn't just exile them! They have a right to decide whether or not they want to stay for good, and he didn't even offer them that!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat stiffened. "What do you mean, Flamestone?" she asked. "Don't you think that they would have requested to become full members if they really wanted it?"

The tom narrowed his eyes. "I don't recall Vinestar ever asking them. Do you, Minteyes?"

Minteyes narrowed her eyes and looked away. "No, but if they had the common sense—"

"Oh stop it!" her mate growled. He gave her a fierce glare before looking away. "I thought I knew you, Minteyes. I thought we had the same morals… apparently not."

Before she could stop him, the tom turned and sprinted toward the warriors' den. "See what you two have done?" Rosepaw growled, lashing her tail. Shooting the queens a glare of her own, she stalked off to the warriors' den to check on her friend.

Petalsplash rested her tail on Minteyes' flank. "Don't worry about it; he'll come around. I don't understand why everyone is getting upset over this! It was going to happen eventually and we all knew it."

"It isn't just about the daylight-warriors, Petalsplash," a black tom mewed. He padded over, having overheard the quarrel between Flamestone and Minteyes. "It is about the way Vinestar handled it. Don't you think he should have given them a chance to leave their homes? I mean seriously! Just because he is Clan leader doesn't mean that he has the right to just throw cats out of the Clan!"

"Yes he does," Petalsplash replied, her pelt beginning to bristle. "It states in the warrior code that the leader's word is law!"

The black tom shook his head, realizing that it wasn't worth his time to argue with them. He couldn't change their opinions. As the black tom padded away, the queens began to talk about other trivial things, mainly new relationships forming between the warriors. Every now and then, someone would mutter something about the daylight-warriors and everyone would mutter something degrading about them.

Two kits watched them from the shadows of the nursery, listening careful to every word they said, their brains absorbing their words like sponges. A smoky black tom seemed to be agreeing with everything the queens said, and even muttered an insult of his own under his breath. His white-furred sister looked at him, appalled. While he had agreed with their mother and the other queens about the daylight-warriors and how they were handled, the she-kit couldn't help but agree with the other warriors who had disagreed.

"They are our Clan-mates, Smokekit," she hissed at her brother. She flexed her tiny claws, kneading the soft dirty of the nursery floor. "I just… don't get how you can be so mean to them."

Smokekit shot her a glare. "They're just a bunch of kittypets, Lightkit! And if those cats who think they should have stayed really want them to come back, they should go join them!"

Lightkit's eyes widened in shock at his words; she couldn't believe her ears! She had no idea how her Clan-mates could say such things. Her mother, Petalsplash, suddenly rose from her place outside the nursery and padded inside. Smokekit rushed over to her and began to ask for milk while Lightkit hung back. Petalsplash laid in her nest before looking to her daughter. "Are you feeling alright, Lightkit? Should I get Emberspots? Are you ill?"

The tiny kit shook her head before padding over to her mother to suckle. She shook her head, trying to forget about the daylight-warriors. _This is my family,_ she thought, inhaling her mother's sweet, milky scent. _I will be loyal to them, no matter what._

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><p>AN: Review? :)


	2. One

_Sky Fall - Chapter 1_

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><p><strong>And so it begins.<strong>

**I don't own Warriors.**

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><p><strong>One<strong>

A squirrel slithered down a beech tree trunk and picked up one of the nuts on the ground. Very painstakingly, it began to nibble, its ears swiveling around his head and its tail bushing. It was completely oblivious to the danger it was currently in. Just downwind of the rodent in a tight, bramble barrier lurked a predator. The feline's bright green eyes glowed in the shadows as she watched the squirrel. Carefully, she slunk forward, sliding free of the brambles and circling around through the undergrowth, being careful not to disturb too much of her surroundings. She hoped that her minimal movements would easily be able to pass off as the wind rustling through the fronds of the ferns and other low-growing vegetation.

Before the squirrel could even sense her, the she-cat landed on its shoulders, snapping the creature's spine under her weight. She nipped the back of its neck quickly, relishing the blood that oozed into her mouth. She pulled back and licked her lips before burying her prize. _See, Lightpaw?_ she thought to herself calmly. Now that she had caught something, the whole aspect of it all seemed less nerve-wracking.

Earlier that same day, the SkyClan leader, Vinestar, had announced to the Clan that all the apprentices would be tested simultaneously. He planned to observe each of them hunt and monitor their skills and how far their training had brought them. Lightpaw had been all up for this—she couldn't want to show off the way she could silently slip through the undergrowth to her leader! That was until her snide brother, Smokepaw, enlightened her on the real reason for the sudden assessment.

"It's to test those kitty-warriors," he had explained as the two sat outside the apprentices' den.

Lightpaw had rolled her eyes. "Oh, stop it, Smokepaw. You know that they aren't kittypets."

"Their parents were," he had pointed out. "Or at least one of them was. Vinestar just wants to test their loyalty."

Scoffing, Lightpaw had answered him, "Why wouldn't they be loyal? The Clan is all they've ever known! What else would they be loyal too?"

He had just narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "You don't understand, Lightpaw. You never will. Leafstar tainted this Clan when she let those kittypets become warriors! It has gone on for long enough. If those cats aren't strong enough to live in the Clan that they eat food from and supposedly have 'protected' then why should we assume that their kits are? Apples never fall far from the tree, you know."

Even now as she hunted, Lightpaw resisted the urge to curl her lips are her brother's words. All her life she had grown up hearing praise for Vinestar from her family, and criticism from her mentor and friends. She loved her family dearly, but she couldn't help but feel herself drifting farther and farther from her family and closer and closer to those who opposed him. _If my mother ever knew that, she would flay me,_ she thought with guilt. She hated that she felt this way—she hated that her beliefs were divergent to those of the people she loved. All she wanted was to live happily in the gorge with her family, but that dream of a simple, enjoyable life was becoming more and more unattainable with each passing day. With tensions rising everywhere, there were no peaceful, relaxing moments, and it seemed that no one could even converse with anyone without having other cats mutter about it behind their backs.

_What has happened to us?_ Lightpaw wondered fearfully as she turned away from the temporary burial site. _Come to think of it, I don't think I can even recall a time where we were united. When were we ever a whole Clan that truly looked out for one another? Not in my lifetime._ Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she continued on through the dense foliage, hardly making a noise as the leaves and fronds slid easily across her white-and-ginger fur. Screwing up her eyes, she focused on a large shaft of light shining down through an open area in the canopy of the trees. She slowly and steadily stalked forward, making sure to keep downwind of whatever prey might be in the glade before her.

Silently, like a ShadowClan cat she had heard tales of, she picked her way around to get a better vantage point. Her paws made no sound as they fell softly upon the few remaining leaves that had been scattered during the last leaf-fall and had failed to decay by the time newleaf blossomed. The ground was slightly damp due to a rain a few days prior, making it easier—she didn't have to avoid any of the dry, crunchy ones this way. As she snuck around the side, she caught a familiar scent that she recognized immediately. _Cavepaw!_

She crept closer through the leaves until she could finally see what was going on in the clearing. Cavepaw was standing in the center with a waxwing in his jaws. He quickly dropped the prey item and bowed his head as a large, broad-shouldered tabby tom emerged from the shadows of the surrounding trees.

"Greetings, Vinestar," the apprentice meowed respectively. "Is my assessment complete?"

The leader did not answer him at first, but proceeded to move closer. "I will be asking the questions here, kittypet!" he snarled.

Cavepaw's eyes widened in astonishment and immediately flattened his ears against his head, and his body against the ground as a sign of submission. "I beg your pardon, Vinestar."

"Silence!" the leader snapped, beginning to circle the apprentice.

Lightpaw's mind was whirling as she watched the scene unfold. _What is Vinestar doing? I know that he wanted to pay attention to him and Creekpaw especially because of their father, but why on earth would he treat him this way? Cavepaw did nothing that warranted such a reaction!_ She held her breath as she realized what her Clan leader was doing: he was circling the apprentice as if he were a piece of prey. She sent a silent prayer to StarClan that he wasn't about to do what she thought he was.

Cavepaw was trembling as Vinestar finally completed a full circle around him. "What did I do? I don't understand," he whispered. Even his voice shook as he spoke. Lightpaw could smell his strong fear scent and was scared that hers wound soon mingle with his. She struggled to keep herself calm, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as she saw her leader unsheathe his massive, lethal claws.

"You should not be in my Clan," Vinestar began, his emerald green eyes looking darker and colder than Lightpaw had ever seen them. "You are a kittypet, just like your father… just like your sister."

Cavepaw's eyes went wider than ever before. "Cr- Creekpaw? What did you do to her?"

Vinestar smirked. "I took care of her. Kittypets will never flaw my Clan again."

In a last ditch effort to save his life, Cavepaw whipped around and sprinted toward the edge of the glade, but Vinestar pursued him. Lightpaw watched him move with a speed, agility, and accuracy that she had no idea he possessed. She watched with a mixture of awe and horror as Vineclaw landed on the apprentice's shoulders just as she had done to her squirrel. In a swift movement, the Clan leader sank his fangs into the back of the young cat's throat. Blood gushed from the wound, running down the back of the apprentice's neck and staining the fur of Vinestar's muzzle.

Lightpaw let out a small gasp of disbelief, and then froze. Vinestar's eyes flickered toward the place she was hiding, but Lightpaw kept still. After a moment of gazing at the space, Vinestar dropped Cavepaw's body and quickly slipped away into the darkness of the forest.

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><p>AN: Review? :)


	3. Two

_Sky Fall - Chapter 2_

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><p><strong>I don't own Warriors.<strong>

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><p><strong>Two<strong>

Lightpaw pelted back to camp, blood roaring in her ears. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she came to the top of the gorge, skidding to a halt. In her panic, she had forgotten her prey, and as she locked eyes with Smokepaw who stood there with an entire nest of mice at his paws, she felt foolish. _Why should I even worry about the assessment?_ she thought angrily. Smokepaw wore a solicitous look as Lightpaw made her way over to him. "Lightpaw, is something wrong? Where is your prey? Why do you look so scared."

"Cavepaw and Creekpaw are dead!" she breathed. Her breath came in rapid gasps, her chest heaving. As the vision of Vinestar killing the innocent Cavepaw replayed itself in her head, her body trembled. She had no strength anymore, and felt as if she were on the verge of a psychological breakdown. Words could not describe the fear and panic she felt at that moment.

Smokepaw's eyes widened. "What do you mean they're dead?"

"Vinestar killed them! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Smokepaw was silent for what seemed like a very long time. Conflicted emotions kept flashing in his eyes—fear, anger, sadness, uncertainty—until he settled on one: determination. "No… you must have been mistaken, Lightpaw. Vinestar would never kill another cat. It's against the warrior code."

"You know he hates the daylight-warriors, Smokepaw! Who's to say that he didn't get fed up with having the kits of one in the Clan and decided to get rid of them?" Lightpaw demanded. She was sick and tired of her brother defending Vinestar's roguish, prejudiced ways.

"How dare you even suggest that!?" Smokepaw hissed, his hackles rising. "Vinestar is a good leader who only does what's best for the Clan! We need to survive, not be softened by silly kittypet blood!"

Lightpaw's eyes widened and her tail lashed in annoyance. "How can you say that, Smokepaw? Are you really defending murder?"

Smokepaw glared at her. "It's not murder, Lightpaw. It was probably a rogue that looked like Vinestar and you mistook it for him."

"I heard him speak!"

"You're barking mad!"

"What are you two arguing about?" a deep, ominous voice inquired from the trees.

Lightpaw nearly jumped out of her skin as Vinestar padded out of the shadows. "Why are you calling your sister 'barking mad', Smokepaw?"

Smokepaw faltered, and looked up at the leader, searching for an excuse. "She was just saying that she thought she saw a… a… goose in the forest…"

Vinestar arched a questioningly eyebrow and looked at Lightpaw. "Did you?"

Lightpaw shook her head. "It was a mistake, and before I could get a good look at it, it flew away."

The SkyClan leader stared at her for a long moment before looking at his paws, a solemn look flashing in his eyes. "Cavepaw and Creekpaw are dead," he confessed.

Smokepaw shot Lightpaw a quick glance before asking, "How did it happen?"

Vinestar looked up at him. "You don't seem surprised to hear that," Vinestar meowed.

"Uh… uh…" Smokepaw began, stuttering.

"We thought we heard a few yowls," Lightpaw jumped in. "But we weren't sure what they were."

The older cat shot them both a suspicious glance before shaking his head. "It was a badger."

"Oh," Smokepaw said quietly, shooting a glance at Lightpaw. There was nothing but confusion in her brother's eyes as they exchanged a quick glance. Since Vinestar claimed that it was a badger that killed them, what Lightpaw claimed she saw might have been true.

But Smokepaw would never admit that.

"The assessment is cancelled—nothing you did today will held either for or against you. Though, I see you did very well, Smokepaw."

Smokepaw puffed out his chest proudly as the Clan leader led the way down into camp. Lightpaw helped her brother carry the brood of mice down into the camp, feeling the eyes of her Clan-mates on her. Unease prickled through her pelt as she followed her leader and her brother. How many of her Clan-mates would be devastated to learn the news of the apprentices' deaths? How many would be relieved? She didn't want to know.

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><p>"Let all cats old enough to leave the gorge gather here beneath Rockpile for a Clan meeting!"<p>

Lightpaw's head shot up at her leader's yowl. She, Smokepaw, and Runningpaw had all been gathered in the apprentices' den, speaking softly amongst each other. Runningpaw, the newest apprentice, had just been telling Smokepaw about how his mentor had made him collect moss all day form the Whispering Cave. Lightpaw had subtracted herself from the merry little meeting, feeling more than forlorn. How could they go on with life as if nothing had happened? Especially Smokepaw? Knowing what she told him, and knowing that there was a good chance that his sister—who he knows never lies about anything serious—was telling the truth? Even Runningpaw who had just heard the news moments ago shrugged it off. It appeared that even someone as young as he was discriminatory toward kittypet blood!

"Sounds like Vinestar is officially going to announce their deaths," Runningpaw commented as the three young cats filed out of the cave. The red orb was just setting in the west, and almost entirely out of sight due to the walls of the gorge. Even then, Lightpaw had to squint her eyes as the contrast between the welcoming darkness of the den and the brightness of the camp blinded her.

"It's not like he has to," Smokepaw murmured as they padded toward Rockpile. "The Clan already knows.

Lightpaw's stomach lurched as she remembered returning back to camp without the two apprentices. Vinestar conducted an impressive performance, wearing a deceptive mask of sorrow as he spoke to Sunblaze, the mother of the two dead cats. When Sunblaze flung herself on the ground, sobbing and pleading with StarClan to know why, Vinestar had comforted her. He told her that they walked with StarClan and were in a much better place. Lightpaw saw through his web of lies, though. She knew that he held no pity for her—why should he? She mated with a kittypet.

_What am I going to do?_ Lightpaw wondered as she approached Rockpile with her companions. She spotted the long, luxurious pelt of Sunblaze in the center of the crowd, leaning on Brightsky's shoulder. As Lightpaw watched the poor mother's shoulders move up and down rapidly with wrenching sobs, determination flooded her. _She deserves to know the truth._

"Cats of SkyClan!" Vinestar began, hailing them as they settled down. "I regret to inform those of you who do not know that Cavepaw and Creekpaw, two aspiring warriors have been slain."

No shocked murmurs erupted in the crowd like a volcano. No heated whispers spread through the crowd like a wildfire, gaining more and more fuel until it became a loud, rapturous cry. There was just a grim silence. Some cats closed their eyes, others bowed their heads, but there was no noise outside from a gentle breeze that sighed softly in one's ears. For once, the Clan seemed to be united as one, mourning the loss of two young cats.

"The culprit," Vinestar continued after a few moments of silence for the apprentices he had killed. "Was a badger. Creekpaw and Cavepaw had been in a small clearing, hunting together when the beast sprang out of nowhere. I had not even smelled it or heard it approach, which shocked me. The thing seemed to be mad with the foaming-mouth disease as it attacked young Cavepaw. Creekpaw, in a desperate attempt to save her brother's life, flung herself on the back of the creature and clawed at its eyes. The badger flung her off and sliced his massive claws along her belly, cutting her open. It was then that I moved from my position and rushed onto the scene to help them. Cavepaw was backed up against a tree when the badger bit his throat. I was too late—unable to save them and filled with rage, I attacked the badger. I don't think it was expecting go see me there, for it fled quicker than I had expected…"

_Liar!_ Lightpaw thought with outrage as she unsheathed her claws. _I saw you murder Cavepaw!_ Instinctively, she gouged her claws into the dirt. _How can you sit up there and lie? You just murdered to apprentices and you act as if you had tried to save them? You put yourself up on a pedestal, claiming to be a hero, when you're just a murderous monster!_

"What's your problem?" Runningpaw inquired in a whisper, shooting a somewhat worried glance at her claws.

Lightpaw immediately retracted them. "Sorry," she muttered. "I just… wish I could sink my claws into that stupid badger is all."

Seeming to accept that response, Runningpaw turned his attention back to Vinestar, who had started to speak again.

"Due to this unfortunate, untimely disaster, Icemask and I have made a decision. From now on, all warriors, apprentices, queens, elders, and kits will have a strict curfew. All the warriors and apprentices must rise at dawn and gather beneath Rockpile for a daily briefing. Afterward, a border patrol and a hunting patrol consisting of four to six cats will be sent out. Those who do not take part in these patrols are confined to camp. Apprentices are required to go on at least one border patrol and one hunting patrol a day. Since we have only three left, we want to speed up their training as much as possible. It appears to me that the apprentices have been learning too many hunting skills and have not been trained in combat as nearly enough as they should be. All mentors are now required to include at least two sun-shifts of battle training every day in their apprentice's schedule. No queens and no elders are allowed to leave the camp. Even though they are both trained in combat, it is too dangerous. We want to lower the rate of orphans in the Clan."

"What do you mean 'lower the rate'?" Sleekfur, a black-furred queen hissed. "There have been no orphans in SkyClan history!"

"Yes!" Marbleleaf, another queen agreed. "And what right do you have to tell us what we can and cannot do?"

A disgruntled hiss sounded from somewhere in the crowd. "He is your Clan leader!" a tom named Haretail spat at the young queen. "He can tell you what to do whenever he likes!"

"Don't talk to my mate like that, you snake-tongue!" a warrior named Dryclaw snarled, leaping to his paws.

"Enough!" Vinestar yowled over the warriors. "Haretail is right: I am your Clan leader and my word is law. Everyone will abide by this new curfew with no exceptions. This is a _safety measure_. We are only doing this in order to minimize the death rate."

"There was next to no death rate until today!" Dryclaw pointed out. "Just because you are our leader doesn't mean that you can control our lives! The next thing we'll know, you'll be planning who our mates will be! Who will be warriors and who will be medicine cats!"

Half the Clan began to murmur in agreement; the other half stiffened and their pelts began to bristle. Lightpaw watched with horror as cats began shooting accusing, shifty glances at one another. It wasn't difficult to decipher who were for this new curfew system, and who were against it. Before her eyes, the Clan split itself, supporters going to sit with other supports, rebels going to be with other rebels. For a moment, it looked as if a fight might break out, but Vinestar stopped it, leaping down from Rockpile and padding into the center.

"Enough squabbling! I won't stand for this, do you understand me? These are the new rules, and I expect you all to follow them whether you oppose them or otherwise!" he shouted, hackles rising.

The Clan began to disperse, many muttering to friends and family about these new rules and about each other. Runningpaw looked at the two older apprentices with wide eyes. "I thought there was going to be a fight!" he exclaimed. "Can you imagine what would have happened if Dryclaw attacked Haretail?"

"It shouldn't be like this," Lightpaw mewed softly. "We should be united as one, not separated by this foolish barrier."

"Well if those mouse-brains can't live with Vinestar's decisions, they can leave," Smokepaw muttered, making Lightpaw's jaw drop. "Vinestar is just trying to protect us, are they really too blind to not see that?"

Lightpaw was too shocked to respond as Smokepaw and Runningpaw began to head back to the apprentices' den. For a moment, Lightpaw glanced over at those who opposed Vinestar's plans. They had been against him from the beginning, and now that Lightpaw saw what she did, she felt a certain kinship with them. However, it disappeared as quickly as it came. _My mother agrees with Vinestar. My father agrees with Vinestar. Smokepaw agrees with Vinestar… If my family trusts him… But I can't trust him! Not after what I've seen. Maybe they're right,_ she thought, glancing at the rebels a second time. [i]_Maybe they are onto something._

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><p>AN: Review?


	4. Three

_Sky Fall - Chapter 3_

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><p><strong>I don't own Warriors.<strong>

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><p><strong>Three<strong>

"Lightpaw? Is that you?" a voice called from the shadows of the warriors' den. Lightpaw paused and took a closer look. She immediately recognized the amber eyes and white face of her mother, Petalsplash.

Lightpaw dipped her head respectfully. "Hello, mother," she mewed softly.

It hadn't even been a day since the confrontational assembly where Vinestar had announced the curfew plans. Since then, Lightpaw had been confined to the apprentices' den until mid-morning when her mentor, Brightsky, had taken her out on a hunting patrol, and then some battle training. She wasn't due out of camp until moonhigh when another patrol would leave. She had been planning to make the most of her spare time trying to relax and just figure out what she was going to do, but things change.

"What do you think of this new system, love?" Petalsplash asked, waving her tail back and forth hypnotically.

"It's… good…" Lightpaw half-lied.

Petalsplash seemed to detect her deception. "Do you really think so?" she inquired. The older she-cat rolled her shoulders back as if to loosen them. Lightpaw had noticed since she was a kit that Petalsplash often rolled her shoulders when she upset or unnerved. _What could be troubling her?_ Lightpaw wondered.

In an effort to avoid the question, Lightpaw queried, "What do you think of it, mother?"

Petalsplash flicked an ear and seemed almost indecisive for a moment. "I know that Vinestar wants to do what is best for the Clan," she finally decided. Lightpaw met her mother's eyes as she continued: "We need to have faith in him. Some of the Clan disagrees with his decisions, but I know that it is for the best. All he wants is to help us—make us stronger."

Lightpaw shifted nervously. _If he wanted to make us stronger, why would he kill Cavepaw and Creekpaw? They were two young cats who would have become great warriors! They would have assisted the Clan and would have hunted and fought for us!_ "Yeah, I guess."

Petalsplash arched a suspicious eyebrow. "Do you do disagree?"

Worried that her mother would immediately assume that she wasn't loyal, she defended herself. "No! No, it's just that…"

"What?" her mother probed. Tenderness was in her voice, but Lightpaw could detect a warning tone as well. Lightpaw knew she had to be careful what she said.

"I just… saw Vinestar doing something the other day," she murmured. Oh how she wanted to tell her mother the truth! _Would she even believe me?_ She hated keeping secrets—she always did. She hated the awful feeling that came along with lying—it was as if there was a war going on inside her belly that flipped all of her organs upside down. Even when she was a kit, she would always confess her mistakes to her mother out of pure need. If she kept them concealed within her, she surely would have spontaneously combusted!

Petalsplash looked away from her daughter for a moment. Then, a very strange emotion flashed in her eyes—it was one Lightpaw had never seen before. She couldn't even determine what it was; it was a mixture of confusion, pain, and even anger. Petalsplash rolled her shoulders and looked back to Lightpaw. "Whatever you saw him doing, I'm sure there was a reason for it."

Lightpaw opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it. What use would arguing do? It wasn't as if she could change her mother's mind—she was too set on supporting Vinestar. "Mother, why do you support Vinestar so much?" Lightpaw blurted out the question before thinking it through. She immediately clamped her jaws shut. At that moment, she made a solemn vow to never open her fat mouth again. How could she be so mouse-brained?

Amusement flashed in Petalsplash's eyes. "Oh, I don't know, Lightpaw… Vinestar and I grew up together and… Well, just between you and me, I had a crush on him once. It didn't last, though. Once I was a warrior, your father began to pay more attention to me, and… as clichéd as it sounds, he had me at hello—we were absolutely smitten with one another. And then my… attraction to Vinestar became a distant memory."

Lightpaw didn't believe a word of that. _That actually makes sense. No wonder she defends him so often! And I don't believe a word about her not being attracted to him anymore!_ Lightpaw thought indignantly. She struggled not to turn up her nose at her foolish mother, and instead averted her gaze. She noticed a patrol coming down the narrow, rocky path into camp. It consisted of her father, Gravelfoot, Oatwhisker, Smokepaw, and Flamestone, each carrying a piece of prey. Petalsplash rose to her paws upon their entry and gently slipped past her daughter. Lightpaw watch as her mother's eyes lit up the moment they met her father's. Gravelfoot set his squirrel down on the pile and touched noses with his mate as she approached.

_Well, I don't doubt that she loves father,_ Lightpaw finally resolved. If she didn't, why would she have such a reaction? As Lightpaw watched her parents speak in soft voices to one another, she suddenly became a tad envious. Romance was never high on her to-do list, but she couldn't help but feel there was an emptiness in her heart that couldn't be fulfilled with ordinary means.

Suddenly, she noticed Smokepaw approaching her, a plump sparrow in his jaws. "Wanna share?" he inquired, his voice muffled by the feathers.

Nodding, Lightpaw led the way over to a shady spot by the wall of the gorge. The siblings sat down side-by-side and seemed to relax. Lightpaw eyed her brother carefully, trying to judge if he planned to chastise her for anything. She never knew if he was going to confront her about what she claimed she saw the day Cavepaw and Creekpaw died. Once she decided that it was safe, she rested her head on her paws and let out a large yawn.

Smokepaw's whiskers twitched. "Tired, little sister?"

Lightpaw twitched an ear at his words but didn't reply. Disinterested in the prey, she allowed her eyes to wander the camp. Rosethorn had emerged from the warriors' den and was now sharing tongues with her new mate, Flamestone, near the fresh-kill pile. A few other warriors lay near the river, basking in the sunlight; amongst them were Fawntail, Dryclaw, Paleface, Grayfoot, and Nightfur. Dryclaw and Grayfoot seemed to be having a disagreement, but Lightpaw didn't think too much of it. Everyone was disagreeing with one another these days.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Smokepaw asked, still chewing and gurgling on a part of the sparrow.

Lightpaw looked at the now half-eaten bird ruefully. "I'm not hungry," she stated simply before rising to her paws.

"Hey!" Smokepaw called, but she ignored him. She padded out from underneath that shade of the gorge wall and into the sweltering heat of the midday sunlight. Keeping her head down so she wouldn't get blinded, she used her ears and nose to detect where everything was. Nearby, should smell her father, and by the sound of it, he was sitting down. Lightpaw stopped, suddenly inspired.

_Perhaps father will understand,_ she thought hopefully. Just because Petalsplash was in love with Vinestar doesn't mean that Gravelfoot was. _Who knows, he may even resent Vinestar since mother likes him so much._ Lightpaw slowly picked her way toward Gravelfoot, struggling to avoid running into the warriors who bustled about camp performing they duties as usual. Once she reached her father, who sat underneath the shade of one of the other walls, she was breathless. Rockpile only lay a few feet away, and the leader's den even closer than that. Suddenly, Lightpaw wasn't so sure she should tell her father about what she saw.

"Hello, Lightpaw," her father greeted her happily. He let out a deep, throaty purr and gave her an affectionate glance. "Did you need help with something?"

Lightpaw wavered under his expecting gaze. Fear rushed through her like an overpowering gust of wind during a thunderstorm. "Oh, I… uh…"

Gravelfoot's brows furrowed. "Is something wrong, Lightpaw? You seem… antsy," he noted, looking his daughter up and down. "Are you ill?"

_Why do my parents always assume I'm ill?_ Lightpaw wondered wryly as she struggled for words. "I… uh… kinda wanted to talk to you."

Gravelfoot gave his shoulder a few quick licks before raising his eyebrows keenly. "Well, I'm right here, Lightpaw, and I'm not going anywhere."

Shooting an anxious glance at Vinestar's den, she looked at her paws. "I saw Vinestar do something the other day," she whispered. Her voice was barely audible, but, at this point, she didn't care if Gravelfoot could hear her or not. All she wanted was to get it out. But she hesitated. _What will he think of me? What will he do to me?_

Her father's face intensified; his eyes narrowed to slits and he sat up a little straighter. "What did you see?"

"He…" Lightpaw paused. _What will this mean for me if I do tell him?_ "I saw him kill Cavepaw."

The next thing Lightpaw new, she was on the ground. The right side of her face burned as if someone had pressed a white-hot branding iron down on it. Warm liquid trickled from this wound, running down her face and dripping onto the ground. Lightpaw looked up to see her father standing over her, claws unsheathed; the same crimson fluid that came from her face now stained his claws. Letting out a small whimper, she pushed herself to her paws to see the majority of the Clan staring at them with wide, dumbfounded eyes.

She wanted to disappear.

"Lightpaw!" Petalsplash called, bounding over. The moment she reached her daughter, the she-cat wrapped her tail around her shoulders and licked her ear. "It's alright," she soothed before rounding on Gravelfoot. Fangs bared, she let out the most fearsome snarl Lightpaw had ever heard in her life. "How _dare_ you harm my daughter!?" Petalsplash yowled at the top of her lungs. Her body shook with rage as she stared down her mate, all love and affection gone from her eyes.

Gravelfoot narrowed his eyes and shot Lightpaw a glare. "She's my daughter too, and she needed to be taught a lesson."

Snarling, Petalsplash allowed her own claws to slide out. "What kind of lesson involves _harming my one and only daughter?!_" she demanded in a screech.

The tom sighed heavily through his nose. "She needs to learn to hold her tongue," he stated simply before locking eyes with Lightpaw. The apprentice flinched away from him, trembling. Regret flashed in her father's eyes before being replaced with a harsher look. His eyes seemed to say: _"This is for your own good, Lightpaw."_

But Lightpaw could hardly imagine how.

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><p>AN: Review? :)


	5. Four

_Sky Fall - Chapter 4_

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><p><strong>I don't own Warriors<strong>

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><p><strong>Four<strong>

Lightpaw shivered as Emberspots spat some kind of poultice on her ear. Petalsplash hovered nearby, worrying like any ordinary mother would. She kept muttering something about infection, but Lightpaw paid little attention to her. The only time she did look over was when her mutter would utter something about killing Gravelfoot. Why did this have to happen? Why did she have to witness what Vinestar did? Everything would have been alright if she had just walked away, so why didn't she? _I should forget about it,_ Lightpaw thought simply. _I should just… let the topic rest._

But she just couldn't.

How could she ever forget what she saw?

No matter how many times she would resolve to forget, the dreadful memory would always return brighter and more vibrant than before. Cavepaw's painful wails would grow louder and louder, and the blood would rise higher and higher until she was entirely submerged within it. Lightpaw remembered something her mother had once told her: _"If you aren't a part of the solution, then you are a part of a problem."_ If she let this… reality die with Cavepaw and Creekpaw, than she would be considered an accomplice. _I am just as bad as Vinestar!_

"It's a marigold poultice," Emberspots meowed, half to himself. The bright ginger tom grew older and older every day, and grew crazier and crazier as well. Many cats urged him to take an apprentice, but they were also hesitant; the last thing they wanted was for him to pass on his seemingly-contagious nonsense and grumblings to another cat. Perhaps they also feared that the eccentric cat wouldn't teach the apprentice properly, resulting in the deaths of every Clan cat in existence. Lightpaw pushed back a chuckle at the silly thought, but found herself agreeing with her Clan's odd worries. Emberspots _was_ a tad bit insane.

Petalsplash, who had been pacing restlessly just outside the den, slid inside and looked at the ginger tom expectantly. "She'll be alright, won't she?"

"Of course," Emberspots replied. His tone held a hint of reproach, as if her worries suggested that she doubted his skills. "It's just a minor scratch, Petalsplash. Plus, she isn't a little kit anymore—she's an apprentice for StarClan's sake. She'll heal in no time."

The brown tabby she-cat flicked her tail stubbornly. "She will always be a little kit to me." After saying the embarrassing statement in a purposeful manner, Petalsplash licked her daughter's healthy ear before exiting the den. Lightpaw rolled her eyes once her mother was gone. _Ugh! Why does she have to treat me like I'm a newborn?_

Emberspots shorted and muttered something that sounded like "She-cats!" before padding over to his herb stores. Lightpaw watched curiously as he sorted through the very medicines, placing each in separate piles and counting them judiciously.

"What are you doing?" she asked. She was partially curious, but also partially dreading the silence that would soon arise. Silence meant she would slip back into the endless abyss of guilt. She shuddered at the thought.

Not even looking at her, he replied, "Simply sorting the herbs. I'm taking count so that I'll know how much of each plant we have, and what we need to stockpile for leaf-bare."

Lightpaw blinked in surprise. "But greenleaf has only just started."

"Yes," Emberspots sighed tiredly. "And soon, it will be leaf-fall. And then leaf-bare will be upon us. And then, dear Lightpaw, we will be in trouble if I don't collect enough catmint! Something tells me that this will be a bad year for greencough. StarClan forbid we lose anyone. Actually, come to think of it, there are a few nuisances we don't need—No… no… I hope we don't lose anyone."

Unsure what to make of that statement, Lightpaw turned away from the medicine cat. It seemed clear to her that he didn't want to be bothered—he needed to focus on the herbs after all. Luckily for her, though, Brightsky poked her had into the entrance of the den, meaning that Lightpaw wouldn't have to drown in her blood-stained thoughts.

"Lightpaw," Brightsky mewed in greeting as she entered the den.

Emberspots glanced over at white-and-gray she-cat before shaking his head. "You must be rather popular, Lightpaw," he remarked, shoving a pile of leaves away from him roughly. "So many visitors you have." The medicine cat was clearly not used to having so many visitors disrupting his daily routine, and was not enjoying the change.

Brightsky shot Emberspots a sneer when his back was turned before looking to her apprentice. "What happened?" she inquired. There was benevolence in her eyes, but there was something else in her voice—austerity?—that demanded an answer.

Unease prickled through Lightpaw's pelt. Brightsky was her mentor and friend, but what could she say to her? It wasn't as if she could just blurt out the truth right there in the middle of the medicine cat den! _Smokepaw didn't believe me. Petalsplash didn't even wanna hear it. Gravelfoot... Gravelfoot hurt me when I told him the truth… What will Brightsky do if I tell her?_ "I… uh…"

Her mentor's eyes softened. "It's alright, Lightpaw. You can tell me anything," she promised in a whisper, shooting an occasional glance at Emberspots. "I need to know the truth. Why did Gravelfoot clip your ear? He said that he was disciplining you, but I want to know why he had to."

A surge of fear rushed through the apprentice's body as she fought for speech. _What do I say?_

The lie came too quickly.

Too easily.

"I said something I shouldn't have," she blurted out. This wasn't an entirely false statement. "I said something… a little mean and Gravelfoot didn't like it."

"So instead of verbally rebuking you and telling you it was wrong to say such a thing, he felt the need to physically harm you?" Brightsky meowed. Lightpaw knew just by the incredulity in the older she-cat's eyes that Brightsky didn't believe her.

Lightpaw silently willed Brightsky to not push the matter further.

The older she-cat must have heard, or sensed her plea, for she nodded. "I may have to have a word with him. Vinestar has a strict schedule and you're due for the moonhigh patrol. I can't have my apprentice out of commission just because her father feels the need to 'discipline' her."

"She'll be fine to go on the patrol," Emberspots suddenly piped up. "As long as she doesn't go charging into any undergrowth, or get into any fights with rogues or any local wildlife, she'll be fine."

Brightsky gave the tom a brusque nod before bidding the apprentice farewell. Lightpaw watched her go with dread. Now, she would have no choice but to be alone and wallow in her terrifying memories. However, she was saved a second time as Emberspots spoke up. "You don't have to stay here, you know," he mumbled. Lightpaw could tell that he was trying to sound polite, as if he were offering to let her stay with her friends in the apprentices' den, but she also knew that he wasn't suggesting it for her social benefit. He wanted her out of his den as soon as possible.

And Lightpaw was happy to oblige.

"Alright," she replied, rising to her paws. "Thank you for fixing my ear."

Emberspots waved his tail dismissively in retort. Lightpaw quickly fled from the den and out into gorge. The sun was now beginning to set in the west, creating a gorgeous array of colors in the sky—reds, oranges, yellows, blues, and purples all mingling together to create a spectacular work of art. Lightpaw marveled at the beauty for a moment before allowing her eyes to set on the glowing, orange orb that was slowly dipping below the horizon. For once, Lightpaw was glad she had to go on the moonhigh patrol; if she wasn't, she'd have to stay in camp which would meant she would have to sleep.

And when she'd sleep, she'd dream.

And when she'd dream, she'd have nightmares.

And that was not something she wanted to experience.

Realizing that she probably looked like some kind of mouse-brain standing outside the medicine cat den staring at the sky, Lightpaw broke into a trot and headed in the direction of the apprentices' den. The apprentices' den was the closest den to the river that flowed through the gorge, and also near the medicine cat den. It was a cave that was smaller than the rest, but cozy at the same time. Solitary rocks lay dormant around it, partially concealing the entrance from someone who had no idea such a place even existed. It was one of the more secluded dens—the warriors' den, elders' den, and nursery were all scattered about up the side of the cliff-face, and the leader's den was on the other side of the path leaving the gorge—which made it appealing.

Lightpaw wove her way through the scattered rocks and slipped inside easily. Smokepaw and Runningpaw were already inside, sharing tongues in her brother's nest. When she entered, both toms stopped and leapt to their paws. "Lightpaw, are you alright?" Runningpaw immediately asked. Lightpaw felt a strange emotion erupt inside her as she noticed the genuine worry in his pale yellow eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Great StarClan, all you guys are acting as if I was attacked by a badger!" she exclaimed. Under any other circumstance, she might've felt annoyed that cats were continuing to pester her about the incident, but there was something about the look in Runningpaw's eyes that kept her from snapping at him.

"What happened?" Smokepaw asked, gazing at his sister intently.

Lightpaw froze—the same way she always did when someone asked her this question. That was enough of an indicator for her brother to get the message. Understanding flashed in his eyes, and Lightpaw knew that he had guessed what she'd said. "Lightpaw," he began, stepping toward her, and almost putting himself between her and Runningpaw. "Let's go for a walk."

Her limbs suddenly became paralyzed. "What?"

"You heard me."

Why was she so scared of this? Smokepaw was her brother—he wouldn't hurt her! _Would he?_ Lightpaw shook her head at the thought. He couldn't. He wouldn't.

"Okay…"

Smokepaw brushed past her disappeared into the gorge. Lightpaw watched him go before looking back at Runningpaw. She hoped to catch his eye, but the younger cat had already retreated to his nest, a puzzled look on his face. Before Lightpaw could inquire as to what was bothering him, Smokepaw called her from outside. "Lightpaw, come on!"

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><p>The two siblings padded toward the river side-by-side. They stood so close together that their pelts brushed, and they inhaled each other's scents. Lightpaw relished this familiar, comforting feeling as they traveled along. When they were kits, they used to be so close to one another—physically and emotionally. They slept in the same nest, played the same games—they went everywhere with each other; they were inseparable. After they both became apprentices, however, they began to drift apart. Suddenly, they had different schedules and different mentors teaching them different things.<p>

Suddenly, they were different.

Lightpaw missed being with her brother like this. She wished being able to relax and just live life. _I haven't even been keeping this secret that long and… and already I'm beginning to crack. Already, I'm missing the life I once had—the easier life. Great StarClan, I hope this gets easier! After all, I'm going to have to live with this knowledge—this memory—for the rest of my life!_ She leaned in closer to her brother until her head was on his shoulder. "I miss you, Smokepaw," she murmured.

He sighed, his flanks inflating and deflating slowly as he did so. "I miss you too, Lightpaw. It seems like we almost never spend time together anymore, and when we are together, we argue."

She nodded in agreement before removing her head from his shoulder. She turned to face him, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm and hope. "Let's promise to not argue anymore!" she said, but she could only wish it were that simple. The look on Smokepaw's face told her that he wished it were too.

"Lightpaw, you need to be careful," he nearly implored.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you just can't go blurting out what you saw to everyone!" Smokepaw hissed. He sounded angry, but he also sounded tortured. Lightpaw looked into her brother's amber eyes and saw that he truly was in pain. She longed to comfort him, but… she just didn't know how. "Who did you tell?"

"You…" she whispered. "And Gravelfoot. I was going to tell Petalsplash, but she didn't want to hear it. She knows I saw him do something, but she doesn't know what… Smokepaw, you've got to believe me! I know what I saw!"

Uncertainly appeared in her brother's eyes as he averted his gaze. "I don't know what to believe, Lightpaw. All my life, I've been taught that Vinestar was our leader; his word is law. I—you know what I was taught! You were taught it too! Petalsplash shoved that fox-dung down our throats for moons about him being some great leader! I think she exaggerated a lot, but… You had to have believed her at some point! You had to have become… engrossed in this… this… cult of personality!"

Lightpaw struggled to remember ever feeling so strongly for Vinestar. She had never hated him, but she had never liked him either. She always found herself listening more closely to those who opposed him rather than his defenders. She always believed that what the rebels said was right… but why? Smokepaw was right: she should have been brainwashed into thinking Vinestar was some kind of god, but she wasn't. She was… different. She had never let her mother's words control her. Wouldn't her life have been easier if she had? Thinking like her brother did, she would have been happy—oblivious, but happy. Her knowledge was a curse now and it would follow her wherever she went, but even though she knew that she _should_ want to be like Smokepaw, she didn't. A part of her knew that if she hadn't seen what she saw that day, no one would have. Cavepaw and Creekpaw's deaths would go without justice. Someone needed to help them so they could rest in peace.

And Lightpaw was the only one capable of doing it.

"I don't know, Smokepaw," Lightpaw murmured, her voice barely audible over the babbling of the river; it was at its shallowest her and made an awful lot of noise. "I just… I never felt that way. I was always… different."

Her brother's eyes intensified. "And now that difference is going to get you killed!"

Lightpaw looked at him with wide eyes. "What…? What are you saying?!"

Smokepaw tore his eyes away from hers, his face twisted into agony. "I don't know what you saw, Lightpaw… but if what you say is true—that Vinestar is a killer—than he won't want you spreading that around the camp. If he gets even a faint whiff of what you've been saying, or realizes that you saw him do it, he'll come after you. Once you kill one cat, the next one is easier. He won't hesitate Lightpaw, and I don't want to see my sister get murdered because she knew too much!"

She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. Was Smokepaw right? Would this information lead to her death? _Why do I feel as this_ will _be the death of me one way or another?_

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><p>AN: Review? :D


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